Cigarette package and cigarette-ejection tab device

ABSTRACT

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a sealing flap at the top of the cigarette package includes a slit therein and covered by the sealing flap except for a free distal end of an opening tab extending through the slit, with the base of the tab detachably anchored to a filter-portion of a cigarette, and the base portion of the tab further defining a flange extending laterally from the downwardly extending base with the flange being located beneath the sealing flap such that upon pulling upwardly on the free distal end the sealing flap is torn away from the cigarette package to thereby openup the pack of cigarettes, and as the upward motion pulling upwardly on the free distal end of the tab continues the cigarette is thereby pulled upwardly into the opening provided by the torn-away sealing flap.

United States Patent [191 11 et al.

1 Feb. 4, 1975 1 CIGARETTE PACKAGE AND CIGARETTE-EJECTION TAB DEVICE [76] inventors: Ryou Dong I1, No. 111 Mia-Dong;

Hong Sung Pyo, No. 46-8 Woo E-Dong, both of SungBuk-ku, Seoul, South Korea 221 Filed: May 1,1973

21 Appl. No.2 357,697

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1922 Sweeney 206/253 1,951,343 3/1934 Butt et al. 229/51 C 2,812,057 11/1957 Brownfield 206/264 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 897,677 10/1953 Germany 229/51 C Primary ExaminerWil1iam 1. Price Assistant Examiner-Bruce 1'1. Bernstein [57] ABSTRACT In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a sealing flap at the top of the cigarette package includes a slit therein and covered by the sealing flap except for a free distal end of an opening tab extending through the slit, with the base of the tab detachably anchored to a filter-portion of a cigarette, and the base portion of the tab further defining a flange extending laterally from the downwardly extending base with the flange being located beneath the sealing flap such that upon pulling upwardly on the free distal end the sealing flap is torn away from the cigarette package to thereby openup the pack of cigarettes, and as the upward motion pulling upwardly on the free distal end of the tab continues the cigarette is thereby pulled upwardly into the opening provided by the torn-away sealing flap.

3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTED 9 5 SHEET 10F 2 CIGARETTE PACKAGE AND CIGARETTE-EJECTION TAB DEVICE This invention relates to a new cigarett package opening device.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION Prior to the present invention there have existed various tab means for the opening of cigarettes, chewing gum, and the like. However, there have existed with all of these devices the continued problem of grasping the first cigarette to be smoked, and in the process of attempting to get hold of it, usually the cigarettes get mashed or the edges of the opening further torn or marred. For example, previously when opening a pack of cigarettes, it was necessary to cut the outer cellophane paper by a narrow tape being stripped away which was attached along a line aroung the top of the pack case, and then it was necessary to tear out the inward silver paper. Thereafter it was required to tap the bottom of the pack in order hopefully to cause a cigarette to be jarred upwardly to a point that it might be grasped by the fingers, and during the forceful thumping of the bottom of the pack the package and/or the cigarettes within become abused and crumpled, as well as usually it still being necessary to grasp downwardly into the pack to get a good grip of the first cigarette to be removed. Moreover, often more than one cigarette would be caused to be jarred upwardly and there is still difficulty in taking one as opposed to two or more, often additional cigarettes being accidentally withdrawn and falling upon the floor or ground thereby ren dering the same unsanitary for placing into the persons mouth thereafter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, objects of the present invention include the avoiding and/or overcoming of one or more of the problems and difficulties of the type discussed above, together with additional advantages as shall be set forth hereafter.

In particular it is desirable and an object to obtain a means for conveniently ejecting the first cigarette without extra time and trouble on the part of the person preparing to smoke the first cigarette of the cigarette pack upon the new opening ofa package of cigarettes.

Other objects become apparent from the preceding and following disclosure.

One or more objects of the present invention are obtained by the invention as defined herein.

Broadly, the present invention includes any desired tab means which when pulled upwardly rips away the sealing paper(s), cellophane, or the like, but which concurrently pulls upwardly and/or out of the pack a first cigarette by virtue of a base portion of the tab being detachably secured by any of many possible means to a first cigarette within the cigarette package. In particular, for a preferred embodiment, there is provided a substantially circular or conical base to the tab which circular or conical base extends downwardly around the cigarette to be pulled, in a tight wedge fit. However, instead of a wedge fit, it is possible that the tab base may alternately be otherwise attached such as by peel-off attached plastic attached around or to a surface of the filter end of the cigarett, or if no filter, around the end adjacent the upper end of the pack. Preferably there is a perforated line along the top area of the conical handle so that the conical handle portion may be torn away to increase the ease of pulling upwardly the cigarette to be grasped by the person. Also, in order to aid the consumer in understanding the mechanism when about to open his package of cigarettes.

One of the outstanding advantages of this device is that the consumer does not need to touch the filter or mouth-end of the cigarette when removing the cigarette by the present inventive device, whereby sanitation is preserved as well as providing a convenient and easy way for the consumer to get at his first cigarette with problems and disadvantages discussed above.

The invention also extends to other packages where it is desirable to pull-out a first item such as a pack of chewing gum, a carton of packed cans of canned vegatables, drinks or the like, or for the first slice of bread when opening a loaf of bread, or to pull-out a crayon from a packed crayon box or a chalk stick from a packed case of several chalk sticks of the type used for writing on a black-board, or other such packed items where the invention could similarly be usdful.

THE FIGURES FIG. I is an in-part view in perspective frontal-side view of the cutting parts of the cigarette case which is shown in partially exploded view.

FIG. 2 illustrates an enlarged and exploded view of the tab device of FIG. I, for a better understanding thereof, also in front-side perspective view.

FIG. 3 illustrated a completely packed state of the pack of cigarettes embodying the present invention.

FIG. 4 illustrated the course followed in the unsealing of the pack of FIG. 3, in a similar view, showing the finger of the consumer in phantom.

FIG. 5 illustrates a side in-part-cut-away view of the present inventive cigarette case(package) after the seal has been broken away and as the conical or circular portion of the tab base is being lifted upwardly and dragging along the first cigaretted to be smoked by the consumer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The method of the invention includes the cutting of the upper part of the inward paper 2 of a cigarette case 1 to thereby become the picking exit-space 3 in the form of a square; on the square element we mount the conical (preferred) handle of paper 7 whose bottom part is connected with ring of paper 4 surrounding the filter ofa cigarette 5; thereafter we cover the square el ement part with the lid 6; but when we make the lid we preferably cut out the point of the lid (or inserting part) 8 narrower than the other part in order to insert the point of the lid (or inserting part) between the inward paper 3 and cigarettes 5, and fold downward shorly the both sides of the lid I0 to be inserted between inward paper 2 and middle packing paper 9; thereafter pack with transparent outward paper II and make the perforated lines(along the line of conical handle of paper 7) in the form of the outlined shape of the tab.

When we unseal the case which is made according to the above-stated method, we lift the perforated lip of the tab, tip 12, of tab 7 and pull upwardly on the tab 7', in this case the outward paper II will be torn along the perforated line which was made in the form of 13-14, I3-l4' and the lid 6 will also be removed at the same time, and ring of paper 4 will pick up the cigarette 5 as high as the length of the filter, and simultaneously the conical handle 7 will be removed. so that the upper part of the case will become open.

It is to be understood that the illustrated embodiment(s) are not intended to unduly limit the scope of the invention but are merely illustrative of typical and preferred embodiments of the invention. Accordingly. it is within the scope of the invention to make such variations and modifications and substitution of equivalents as would be apparent to a person of ordinary skill.

We claim:

1. A method of opening a package of packed plurality of articles and simutaneously withdrawing a first article from the package upon the opening thereof. comprising in combination: in a package having a tab attached to an article within the package and having a portion of the tab extending to an exterior space of the package, employing a tab having a conical base and wedging onto a top of a cigarette within the package the conical base and pulling upwardly on the tab with sufficient force to open-up a sealed package of the articles. such that the sedged-on conical base drags upwardly the wedged cigarette during said upwardly pulling, and continuing lifting the tab sufficiently to drag upwardly the tab-attached cigarette.

2. An article of manufacture providing a package for packaging a plurality of articles and for simultaneously withdrawing a first article from the packaged articles during the opening of the package, comprising in combination: a package having a sealed opening provided with a sealing sheet material having a slit therein, a tab member extending through said slit and having a free distal end exposed to exterior space, and the tab member having a base portion structure in a shape such that it is attachable to an article adjacent to said sealed opening of the package such that upon pulling upwardly on said free distal end the sheet material is such that it will be torn away from the opening, said article being a cigarette and the tab base being of conical shape and being wedged onto an upper portion of the cigarette structure.

3. The article of claim 2, in which there is included perforations in said sheet material following the outline-shape of said tab as it extends beneath the sheet material through the slit.

* t i i 8' 

1. A method of opening a package of packed plurality of articles and simutaneously withdrawing a first article from the package upon the opening thereof, comprising in combination: in a package having a tab attached to an article within the package and having a portion of the tab extending to an exterior space of the package, employing a tab having a conical base and wedging onto a top of a cigarette within the package the conical base and pulling upwardly on the tab with sufficient force to open-up a sealed package of the articles, such that the sedged-on conical base drags upwardly the wedged cigarette during said upwardly pulling, and continuing lifting the tab sufficiently to drag upwardly the tab-attached cigarette.
 2. An article of manufacture providing a package for packaging a plurality of articles and for simultaneously withdrawing a first article from the packaged articles during the opening of the package, comprising in combination: a package having a sealed opening provided with a sealing sheet material having a slit therein, a tab member extending through said slit and having a free distal end exposed to exterior space, and the tab member having a base portion structure in a shape such that it is attachable to an article adjacent to said sealed opening of the package such that upon pulling upwardly on said free distal end the sheet material is such that it will be torn away from the opening, said article being a cigarette and the tab base being of conical shape and being wedged onto an upper portion of the cigarette structure.
 3. The article of claim 2, in which there is included perforations in said sheet material following the outline-shape of said tab as it extends beneath the sheet material through the slit. 